Fifth wheel device for wagons



' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

G. R. KENT. FIFTH WHEEL DEVICE FOR WAGONS.

No. 467,279. Patented Jan. 19,1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. R. KENT.

FIFTH WHEEL DEVICE FOR WAGONS.

No. 467,279. Patented Jan. 19, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

GEORGE R. KENT, OF BURLINGTON, WVISOONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT F. RANSOM, SAME PLACE.

FIFTH-WHEEL DEVICE FOR WAGONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 467,279, dated January 19, 1892. Application filed February 16, 1891. Serial No. 381,581. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. KENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fifth-Wheel Devices for \Vagons, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates more particularly to grocery or delivery wagons, it being very desirable that Wagons of this class should be capable of being turned in a small space or being what is termed quick-turning vehicles.

The object of my invention is to provide a wagon which shall possess this feature and yet is so constructed that neither space nor convenience is sacrificed in accomplishing this desired result.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification I have shown in side elevation in Figure 1 a wagon embodying my invention, portions of the body and front wheel being broken away to illustrate the construction of the different parts. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the front axle, springs, and a portion of the reach, showing the peculiar shape of the axleand the mannerin which it is fastened to the reach. Fig. 3 is a View of the front end of the bottom of the wagon body, showing the arrangement of the parts, the manner of attaching them to the body of the wagon, and the novel form of circle or fifth-wheel which I employ. Fig. 4 is a detail detached perspective view to illustrate the construction of the parts by which the springs are or may be attached to the fifth-wheel. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the front end of the reach, said figure being on asomewhat larger scale than the other views.

Similar letters of reference denote similar parts in the different figures of the drawings.

A denotes the wagon-body, which is constructed, as shown in Fig. 1, in two compartments B and C, separated from each otherby the rack or grating A, which'is made in two parts and which rests at its sides on cleats b. The grating A is made in two parts, so that one part may be slid forward out of the way when desired. The upper compartment Bis intended for light-weight packages and artithe pivot-bolt a of the fifth-Wheel.

ticles, while those heavier are to be carried in the lower compartment 0. At the front of the wagon, beneath the seat, is a smaller compartment D, which preferably has a metallic lining d, and is intended as a receptacle for oil 'or other articles which might injure the finer groceries in the rear compartments. The hinged cover cl of this compartment forms a seat for the driver and may be packed to form a perfectly-tight cover. It is preferably made in two parts so that the driver may raise one part to obtain access to the compart ment without getting up.

I preferably provide my improved wagon with a cover E, having at its front an adjustable hood c, which is adapted to be thrown up out of the way when not wanted for use or when the driver is getting in or out of the wagon frequently.

At the rear of the wagon is the door F, which is hinged to the side of the frame and provided with the locking-bolts fiwhich have their inner ends pivoted eccentrically in the disk f,which is pivoted to the door and pro- Vided with a turning-handle f so that both bolts may be simultaneously thrown out or in.

To the under side of the wagon (see Fig. 3)

I attach two bolsters G H by any suitable means, as by bolts, and I provide said bol- 8o sters with curved wear-plates a a, the plate a being formed on the arc of a much larger circle than plate a. By means of a bolt a in the bolster H, I pivot my fifth-wheel or circle, which is of peculiar form, as shown, consisting of segmental outer portions 02, connected by crossing-arms n and radial arm 02 said segmental portions being in contact with said wear-plates. To the radial arm n is attached in any suitable manner, as by the 0 circular plates m, the springs I, supporting the forward end of the Wagon -body, said springs being hung to the forward axle L by bolts j or other suitable connections.

The forward axle L is bent rearward, as 5 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the reach M is pivotally joined thereto by a bolt h, which is nearly or directly in a vertical line beneath By thus providing the forward axle with a rearwardroo ly-extending portion, to which the reach is pivotally attached rearward of those portions of the said axle which carry the forward wheels, and by correspondingly pivoting the fifth-wheel the pivotal or turning point of the forward wheels is carried rearward a considerable distance, so that the wagon is practically shortened to this extent so far as its quick or short turning capacityis concerned; but this is efiected without making the wagon-body shorter, which would diminish the capacity of the wagon.

I claim- 1. The combination, with the fifth-wheel N, having on opposite sides of its pivot the segmental portions 11, connected by crossingarms 91 and radial arm m of the curved wearplates 0 and CL, against which said segmental portions bear, and the bolsters G and H 011 the under side of the wagon-body and to which said plates are attached.

2. In a wagon, the combination, with the front axle thereof, having a rearwardly-bent portion, to which the forward end of the reach is pivoted, of a fifth-wheel N, havingits pivot above the pivotal point of the reach and having segmental port-ions n on opposite sides of its pivot, the curved wear-plates a and a, against which said segmental portions bear, and the bolsters G and H on the under side of the wagon-body and to which the said plates are attached.

3. The combination, with the fifth-wheel N, having on opposite sides of its pivot the segmental portions n, connected by the crossing arms 92 and the radial arm m of the curved wear-plates, against which said segmental portions bear, and means for supporting said wear-plates.

In testimony whereof I affix m y signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE R. KENT. Witnesses:

A. F. RANsoM, A. W. RANson. 

